NEA Resolution re school psychology services

Thanks to Jack K. of Toronto for sharing the NASP posting of news from the recent NEA Convention in the US. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if CASP could function as a national organization to influence a resolution such as this in Canada? Any ideas on where to begin?

I want to share some exciting news from the NEA Convention that concluded on 7/6/2014. The NEA is 3.2 Million members strong and their Representative Assembly is the largest deliberative body in the world. Their local and state affiliates are the collective bargaining units that represent a large percentage of NASP members. The NEA Resolutions are the fundamental beliefs that guide all of their actions. Prior to 7/6/2014 there was no mention of school psychologists in the NEA Resolutions. Through a year long committee process I was able to get the following language inserted into the NEA Resolutions under C-25. Comprehensive School Health, Social, and Psychological Programs and Services:

The Association believes that services in the schools should include–c. Psychological services provided by a certified school psychologist that promote the mental health of students through prevention, identification, identification, early intervention, and remediation of specific mental health issues that interfere with the learning process; that provide crisis intervention of traumatic events; and that provide mental health counselingd. A psychologist-to-student ratio of at least one school psychologist to every 500-700 students in the school population with adjustment to adequately accommodate students with serious emotional disabilities.

Prior to this C-25 only addressed school health programs and one line included counseling services in general terms.